1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stator of a vehicle alternator.
2. Description of the Related Art
An alternator disclosed in JP-A-3-235644 has a pair of cooling fans fixed to opposite sides of a rotor. The pair of inner cooling fans take cooling air into frames and discharge the cooling air from windows formed in the circumferential surface of the frames, thereby cooling the stator winding.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,822,261 and WO92/06527 disclose a plurality of U-shaped conductor segments welded to form a stator winding. However, sharp edges may be formed on the welded portions. Such edges may cause concentration of mechanical stress and electrochemical stress, thereby resulting in mechanical breakdown or electrochemical corrosion. Moreover, dust or foreign particles introduced with the cooling air may accumulate on the edges if such a stator winding is cooled by such a inner cooling fans. If salt water is introduced by the inner cooling fans, insulation members disposed in the stator may be deteriorated.